The countryside kids knock out the urban competition

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At first glance, Sanhe Primary School in Shizhu County, a rural area of a three-hour drive from Chongqing Municipality in southwest China, might seem like any other institution. Yet, this is no ordinary school. It stands out due to its focus on sports, and one sport in particular, football.

Many of the almost 1,000 students at this school come from the countryside around Shizhu County. Many of their parents are working in Chongqing, leaving them in the care of their grandparents. "Left-behind children" is the term describing their situation.

The school’s football team has been making national headlines for its success over the last years. The school's girls’ football team, winners of the 2017 and 2016 Chongqing U13 Women’s League, and runners-up at the 2018 tournament, have been receiving a lot of attention.

Their football coach Wang Yang is convinced that the main reason for their success is the fact that they are from the countryside. He believes that while a young generation of urban Chinese is growing up pampered by their parents, his tough girls overrun the competition due to their ability to tolerate the strain and physical demands of the sport.

“This group of children plays tougher than those in the inner city, and they always play on the outside pitch no matter the weather conditions,” he said. “They are never afraid of being tired or any hardship. Whether they’re dripping with sweat, blood or tears, they won’t take any rest no matter how exhausted they are.”

The team trains exclusively outdoors, which during the Chongqing summer is no picnic. Chongqing is known as one of the “three furnaces” of China, because of its high temperature in combination with its humidity. The temperature can reach up to 40 degrees Celsius in summer, and average humidity are around 80 percent.

This means that even at a temperature of 35 degrees Celsius, it feels like almost 55 degrees Celsius due to the high humidity. As any heat index will warn you, heat stroke is highly likely during pro-longed exposure to the sun. So, how come these young women are able and willing to train for hours every day under the blistering sun? The answer is simple: they are playing for no less than their future.

The school’s main football pitch is completely exposed to the hot Chongqing sun, while their second pitch (in the background) features a roof for shade/ CGTN

The school has been cooperating with another primary school in Chongqing, Baihua Primary School. It picks the outstanding players from Sanhe, and provide them with boarding. Receiving inner city education is a dream for many in Shizhu County, as it is seen as the ticket to a good university and a better life.

“Our county is located in a remote mountainous area, so the potential for a bright future and experience is less than those children in the city,” explains Wei Xiaoguang, the team’s second coach. “To advance, they have to work hard on their own. They’re still training under such a hot sun, determined to win a better future.”

(Rediscovering China is a 30-minute features program offering in-depth reports on the major issues facing China today. It airs Sunday at 0230GMT, with a rebroadcast at 1530GMT, as well as Monday 0030GMT and Friday 0530GMT on CGTN.)